Yellow Penstemon
Penstemon confertus
- Native to:
- Canada, United States
Unknown author Unknown author
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Plantaginaceae
- Genus:
- Penstemon
- Species:
- Penstemon confertus
- USDA Symbol:
- PECO6
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb , Subshrub
- Height:
- 50 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- may,jun,jul,aug
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, cream
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Pyramidobela quinquecristata, Syngrapha hochenwarthi
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Central bumble bee (Bombus centralis), Fernald cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus flavidus), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus insularis), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), van Dyke bumble bee (Bombus vandykei), White-shouldered bumble bee (Bombus appositus), Yellow bumble bee (Bombus fervidus), Yellow head bumble bee (Bombus flavifrons), Yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, hummingbirds, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from root crown following fire; benefits from periodic fire that reduces competition.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy or rocky soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- prefers open, sunny locations
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Requires light for germination; surface sow and do not cover seed deeply. Cold stratification improves germination rates.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: 90 to 120 day cold, moist stratification. Seeds can lose dormancy after 2.5 years of storage in cold, dry conditions at 40°F and 40% relative humidity.
Establishment: Seeds are collected in late summer when capsules turn brown and begin to dehisce. Germination can occur after a second winter. Surface sowing the seed to expose it to light did not increase the germination rate.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 4C for 3 weeks, then place @ 20C.